Why You Need to Live Abroad... At Least Once

This time of year is all about the ‘lists’… the ‘best of’ lists, the ‘worst of’ and every other obscure possibility in between.

So we thought it would be fun to put a list of our own together! Of course, we’re a bit biased and feel that everyone should experience life abroad… at least once in his or her life. So, without further ado… The Top 10 Reasons To Live Abroad. At Least Once…

(PS – Where International makes this process super-easy! Check out our developers on a Discovery Weekend. It’s affordable and commitment-free; you have nothing to lose and will get to explore a whole new locale to boot!)

1. You will learn more about yourself then you thought possible. Even if you’re living with a spouse or family, living abroad will force you out of your comfort zone, showing that you have more inner strength, patience and confidence then you imagined.

2. Celebrating holidays (Christmas, Thanksgiving, etc) abroad and sharing your traditions with new friends, is a fun and exciting way to introduce your culture to others. And, on the flip side, experiencing and celebrating the traditions of your new home country!

3. Sending and receiving mail, postcards and packages to and from your native home. With ‘snail mail’ going the way of the dodo bird, this is an excellent way to show your friends and family that you’re thinking of them… plus, they’ll want to reciprocate, and nothing beats getting a hand-written note or card.

4. Experiencing new food! Whether it’s fresh seafood, fruit picked straight off the tree/plant/vine or the huge variety and difference in candy and junk food… its all an adventure for your taste buds!

5. Living abroad will make you a more rounded person (or maybe it’s all that new food you’re tasting? Hmm). It’s one thing to sit at work or in your living room and read or watch the worldly news, but to actually live it and see how and what is reported when you live abroad is eye-opening.

6. With Latin America being only a few hours flight from all areas of North America, you will always have friends and family wanting to visit you - especially those from the cold and snowy northern parts!

7. Even the most mundane of tasks – going to the grocery store, banking, visiting a hardware store – become adventures when you live in a new country.

8. Moving abroad will introduce you to things that you absolutely love (people included!), but would never even know existed had you not pushed outside the box of everyday life.

9. To slow down and appreciate what you have! Even if you choose to live in Latin America for just several months a year; the realization that the world doesn’t crumble if you’re not around to hold it together, is liberating and humbling.

10. To go to sleep or wake up in your own place, not a hotel or resort, but a place all your own, in paradise. Where the only sounds are birds, insects and the rustle of trees as monkeys jump from one limb to another. To realize that you are actually here… that you really did it.

In the end, everyone has their own reasons for moving abroad, and their own reasons for staying… or not staying. But if it’s something you’ve been considering or researching, we say stop! Stop just pondering it and get out there and explore! Where International’s Discovery Weekends are an excellent way to test the waters of a new country… go HERE now to learn more!

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Where International exists to recommend a variety of International real estate options. Where International requires developers to meet stringent criteria before offering them to you. Conversely, any inspections we conduct on projects or individuals should not be misinterpreted as a guarantee by Where International. International real estate is not immune to the ups and downs that occur in North American real estate; property values are never guaranteed to increase.

Where International is not accountable for the orchestration or deliverance of Discovery Weekends. We provide them to you on behalf of our developer partners. We recommend that you purchase travel insurance, as you would with any trip out of your home country. In addition, we advise you complete your own due diligence, purchase title insurance and always use a local attorney to assist with all transactions. In the event that a reader purchases a property from a recommended developer, Where International receives a sum from the developer.